New Thought Movement: An Examination and Biblical Response

Introduction

In recent decades, ideas emphasizing positive thinking, mental affirmation, inner divinity, and the power of spoken words have increasingly influenced popular Christianity. Many of these concepts trace back not to Scripture, but to a philosophical and religious system known as New Thought. While often presented as harmless self-help or faith-based motivation, New Thought represents a worldview fundamentally incompatible with biblical Christianity. This article examines what New Thought is, its historical development, its leading figures, its core beliefs, and why it stands in direct contradiction to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What Is New Thought?

New Thought is a metaphysical religious movement that teaches that the human mind possesses divine power and that right thinking can shape reality. At its core is the belief that thoughts create circumstances, including health, prosperity, and success.

Rather than viewing God as a personal, transcendent Creator distinct from His creation, New Thought commonly presents God as an impersonal divine force or universal mind that permeates all things. Humanity, therefore, is believed to share in this divine essence.

In simple terms, New Thought teaches:

• God is not separate from humanity

• Human beings are inherently divine

• Illness, poverty, and suffering are illusions of wrong thinking

• Right thinking and spoken affirmation produce desired outcomes

Historical Origins of New Thought

The New Thought movement emerged in the 19th century United States, shaped by a convergence of philosophical idealism, Transcendentalism, and alternative healing practices.

Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802–1866)

Quimby is widely regarded as the father of New Thought. A former clockmaker turned healer, Quimby believed disease originated in the mind rather than the body. He taught that correcting false beliefs would bring physical healing.

Although Quimby denied being religious in the traditional sense, his ideas laid the philosophical foundation for later spiritual systems emphasizing mental causation.

Development in the Late 1800s

After Quimby’s death, his concepts were adapted and spiritualized by others, evolving into organized religious movements. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, New Thought had developed institutions, churches, and publishing networks across America.

Major Individuals in the New Thought Movement

Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910)

Strongly influenced by Quimby, Eddy founded Christian Science. She taught that matter, sickness, and even death are illusions, and that healing occurs through correct spiritual understanding.

Although Christian Science uses biblical language, it redefines nearly every essential Christian doctrine.

Emma Curtis Hopkins (1849–1925)

Often called the “Teacher of Teachers,” Hopkins trained many influential New Thought leaders. She emphasized divine mind, spiritual laws, and metaphysical interpretation of Scripture.

Charles and Myrtle Fillmore

Founders of the Unity School of Christianity, the Fillmores taught that Jesus was not uniquely divine but demonstrated divine consciousness available to all people. Unity remains one of the most influential New Thought organizations today.

Ernest Holmes (1887–1960)

Founder of Religious Science (Science of Mind), Holmes systematized New Thought philosophy, teaching that thoughts activate spiritual laws in the universe.

Core Beliefs of New Thought

Although expressions vary among groups, New Thought systems generally share several foundational beliefs:

1. God Is an Impersonal Force

God is often described as Mind, Principle, Energy, or Universal Intelligence rather than a personal, relational Being.

Biblical contrast:Scripture reveals God as personal, holy, relational, and sovereign (Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:9–10).

2. Humanity Is Divine

New Thought teaches that humans possess innate divinity and must awaken to it.

Biblical contrast:Humans are created in God’s image, not divine themselves (Genesis 1:27). Scripture teaches human fallenness, not inherent godhood (Romans 3:23).

3. Jesus Is a Model, Not Savior

Jesus is viewed as a man who realized divine consciousness—not the eternal Son of God.

Biblical contrast:Jesus is uniquely God incarnate, not merely an example (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9).

4. Salvation Is Enlightenment

New Thought replaces repentance and redemption with mental awakening or realization of truth.

Biblical contrast:Salvation comes through repentance and faith in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection (Ephesians 2:8–9; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

5. Thoughts and Words Create Reality

Illness, poverty, and suffering are believed to be caused by negative thinking.

Biblical contrast:While Scripture affirms wisdom and faith, it does not teach that humans create reality. God alone is Creator (Isaiah 42:5).

Why New Thought Is Contrary to Biblical Christianity

1. It Redefines God

New Thought replaces the biblical God with a metaphysical abstraction. This undermines worship, prayer, and reverence.

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” (Romans 1:25)

2. It Denies Human Sinfulness

If humans are divine, there is no need for repentance. This directly contradicts the biblical doctrine of sin.

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.” (1 John 1:8)

3. It Rejects the Cross

New Thought has no place for substitutionary atonement. The cross becomes unnecessary or symbolic.

“We preach Christ crucified.” (1 Corinthians 1:23)

4. It Shifts Authority from Scripture to Self

Truth becomes internal experience rather than God’s revealed Word.

“Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

5. It Produces a Man-Centered Gospel

New Thought ultimately exalts human potential rather than God’s glory.

“Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31)

Conclusion

The New Thought movement, though often cloaked in Christian language, represents a fundamentally different religion. It replaces the gospel of grace with mental technique, the sovereignty of God with spiritual laws, repentance with affirmation, and redemption with self-realization.

For the Church, discernment is essential. Many modern teachings—especially prosperity theology, manifestation language, and “speak it into existence” rhetoric—carry clear New Thought DNA.

Biblical Christianity proclaims not the power of the mind, but the power of the cross. Not the divinity of man, but the mercy of God. Not self-enlightenment, but salvation through Jesus Christ alone.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit… and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)

New Thought vs. Biblical Christianity

A Doctrinal Comparison Chart

Category	New Thought	Biblical Christianity
Source of Authority	Human consciousness, inner revelation, metaphysical interpretation	The inspired, authoritative Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16–17)
View of God	Impersonal force, universal mind, divine principle	Personal, holy, sovereign Creator (Isa. 46:9–10)
Nature of God	God is in everything; all is divine	God is distinct from creation yet present by His Spirit (Gen. 1:1; Ps. 90:2)
View of Humanity	Humans are inherently divine	Humans are created beings, fallen by sin (Rom. 3:23)
Human Problem	Ignorance, wrong thinking	Sin and separation from God (Isa. 59:2)
Solution	Enlightenment, right thinking, affirmations	Repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38)
View of Jesus	An enlightened teacher or example of divine consciousness	The eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man (John 1:1, 14)
Uniqueness of Christ	Jesus is one of many spiritual examples	Jesus is the only Savior (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)
View of Sin	Illusion or error of thought	Moral rebellion against God (1 John 3:4)
View of Salvation	Self-realization or awakening	Redemption through Christ’s atoning work (Eph. 1:7)
Role of the Cross	Symbolic or unnecessary	Central to salvation (1 Cor. 1:18)
View of Grace	Impersonal spiritual law	God’s unmerited favor (Eph. 2:8–9)
Prayer	Affirmations to activate spiritual laws	Communication and dependence on a personal God (Matt. 6:9–13)
Words and Speech	Words create reality	Words reflect faith, but God alone creates (Ps. 33:6)
Healing	Achieved by correcting thought	God heals according to His will (James 5:14–16)
Suffering	Result of negative thinking	May occur for discipline, growth, or God’s purposes (Rom. 8:18; James 1:2–4)
Prosperity	Guaranteed through mental alignment	God provides according to wisdom and purpose (Phil. 4:19)
View of Truth	Subjective and internal	Objective and revealed by God (John 17:17)
View of the Holy Spirit	Impersonal divine energy	Third Person of the Trinity (John 14:16–17)
Ultimate Goal	Self-actualization and empowerment	Glory of God and transformation into Christlikeness (Rom. 8:29)
End Result	Confidence in self	Faith in Christ alone (Gal. 2:20)

Summary Contrast

New Thought says:

Change your thinking and you can change your reality.

Biblical Christianity says:

Be transformed by God through repentance, faith, and the renewing work of the Holy Spirit.

New Thought elevates human potential.Christianity exalts God’s redemptive power.

New Thought begins with self.The gospel begins with the cross.